Comparison of Effects of Various Brands of AGTH on Normal Subjects.

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Abstract
The effects of several commercial brands of ACTH were compared as to their ability to produce eosino-penia and to raise the excretion of urinary 17-ketosteroids in normal humans. Additional ascorbic acid depletion tests, as induced by the same lots of ACTH, were performed in hypo-physectomized rats. The purpose of this study was to correlate the above metabolic effects in man to those of the exptl. animals normally used in the bio-assay processing of ACTH. Significant eosinopenia was associated with all brands of ACTH and to a lesser extent with normal saline, the control. Increases in 17-ketosteroid levels as obtained from fractional urine specimens did occur, but seemingly in insignificant amts. Similar increases were noted with normal saline. These same brands of ACTH produced a depletion in the adrenal ascorbic acid content in exptl. animals, but to a lesser degree than that produced by the Armour standard. There is no direct correlation among the 3 tests performed, but there seems to be an inverse relationship between the results of the biological assay in rats and the tests in humans. These findings seem to substantiate the view that the ascorbic acid depletion test is but one effect produced by ACTH, and as such, this method of determining corticotropin activity may be only partially satisfactory.
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